Iran to Join World Cup but Demands Visa, Security Guarantees from FIFA and Hosts

Iran has said it will take part in this summer's football World Cup but has demanded guarantees from FIFA and the tournament hosts amid tensions over the team's participation.

The Iranian Football Federation said Iran would compete "without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions," while insisting the hosts "must take our concerns into account."

Federation head Mehdi Taj later revealed Iran had presented FIFA with 10 conditions for participation at the World Cup, which begins on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Among the demands published in a statement on Saturday are guarantees that all players, coaches and officials traveling with the team will receive visas, including those who completed military service with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The group is listed as a terrorist organization in Canada and the United States, and Taj's links to it were cited as a reason he was denied entry into Canada.

Iran also seeks assurances over the treatment of the national team, including respect for the Iranian flag and national anthem, as well as enhanced security at airports, hotels and stadiums during the tournament.

Some requests are likely to prove easier for FIFA to influence than others. FIFA can help oversee tournament logistics, official protocols and the treatment of participating delegations during the competition itself.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Iranian footballers would be welcome at the tournament, while warning that individuals with links to the IRGC could still face restrictions on entering the United States.

That leaves FIFA facing a balancing act between ensuring the participation of all qualified teams and handling political realities in relations between Tehran and Washington.

Israel and the United States launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf. Fighting has since been largely suspended under a fragile ceasefire.

Some of the federation's other requests may prove difficult to enforce in practice. Questions around squad selection, public support for the national team or the atmosphere surrounding matches can carry both sporting and political dimensions.

This was on display at the women's Asian Cup in Australia in March when a number of Iranian players tried to claim asylum, sparking a tense diplomatic stand-off. Seven members of the team were granted humanitarian visas while in Australia, but five changed their minds and returned home.